What is the test fee for a Ben Jerrys Test Shop, and is it refundable?
Ben_Jerrys Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
consideration of administrative and other expenses we incur in entering into the Franchise Agreement and Satellite Addendum.
Test Shops
If you are an existing franchisee and we approve you to operate a Test Shop, then you will sign a Test Shop Addendum to Existing Franchise Agreement and pay us a test fee of $2,500 (if you already have more than one Scoop Shop, the Test Shop Addendum will apply to the Franchise Agreement that you most recently signed). The test fee is earned and non-refundable in consideration of administrative and other expenses we incur in entering into the Test Shop Addendum. As described in Item 1, if you desire to continue operating the Test Shop beyond the term of the Test Shop Addendum and we approve your Test Shop to become a permanent Scoop Shop, then we will enter into a separate Franchise
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 20–23)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Ben Jerrys's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, existing franchisees approved to operate a Test Shop must sign a Test Shop Addendum and pay a test fee of $2,500. This fee applies if the franchisee already has more than one Scoop Shop, in which case the Test Shop Addendum will apply to the most recently signed Franchise Agreement.
The $2,500 test fee is considered earned upon payment and is non-refundable. Ben Jerrys considers this payment in exchange for the administrative and other expenses they incur when entering into the Test Shop Addendum.
However, if the franchisee desires to continue operating the Test Shop beyond the term of the Test Shop Addendum, and Ben Jerrys approves the Test Shop to become a permanent Scoop Shop, Ben Jerrys will enter into a separate Franchise Agreement for that location. In this case, the $2,500 test fee that the franchisee already paid will be credited toward the initial franchise fee due under the new Franchise Agreement.